The chemistry of heterocyclic compounds has traditionally been and remains a bright area of chemical science in Russia. This is due to the fact that many heterocycles find the widest application. These compounds are the key structural fragments of most drugs, plant protection agents. Many natural compounds are also derivatives of heterocycles. At present, more than half of the hundreds of millions of known chemical compounds are heterocycles. This collective review is devoted to the achievements of Russian chemists in this field over the last 15–20 years. The review presents the achievements of leading heterocyclists representing both RAS institutes and university science. It is worth noting the wide scope of the review, both in terms of the geography of author teams, covering the whole of our large country, and in terms of the diversity of research areas. Practically all major types of heterocycles are represented in the review. The special attention is focused on the practical applications of heterocycles in the design of new drugs and biologically active compounds, high-energy molecules, materials for organic electronics and photovoltaics, new ligands for coordination chemistry, and many other rapidly developing areas. These practical advances would not be possible without the development of new fundamental transformations in heterocyclic chemistry. Bibliography — 2237 references.

Data spanning the period 2000–2017 on the direct C–H functionalization of pyrimidines are collected and discussed in this review. This demonstrates the surge of interest and creativity that this field of chemistry has experienced during the last two decades. Plausible applications of highly functionalized pyrimidines are also discussed.1 Introduction2 Transition-Metal-Catalyzed C–H Functionalization of Pyrimidine Derivatives3 Transition-Metal-Free Direct C–H Functionalization of Pyrimidine Derivatives4 Deprotonative Metalation of Pyrimidine Derivatives5 Conclusions